The Right to Fire

The War Labor Board last week certified to U.S. employers an all-important managerial right. Henceforth management may discharge, or otherwise discipline unionists who violate a contract.

All this came about because of one Anton Jankowski, a Herculean (6 ft. 2 in., 250 lb.) employe of Muskegon's (Mich.) Norge Division of Borg-Warner (plane parts, vacuum pumps, valves). Last November, the War Department ordered Norge to cut back production of gun mounts. This reduced the piecework earnings of its employes. The U.A.W.A.F. of L. promptly protested, but agreed to go along if the company would clamp down on Jankowski. The union had al ready expelled Jankowski for nonpayment of dues. Now the union claimed that his great strength enabled him to work too fast. Thereby he "hogged" production, and made some $200 weekly. In the ensuing dispute, the 800 Norge workers struck for twelve days and the company refused to rehire 41 of them. Detroit's regional WLB ordered them reinstated.

In completely reversing the regional board, the WLB : 1) condemned the union for its "utter disregard" of its contract, which contained a no-strike clause; 2) upheld the firing of the 41. Then, in blunt, unequivocal words to labor, WLB held: "Management's right to discipline employes for cause is recognized. ... To say that management has no right to impose discipline . . . would impose an insuperable obstacle in the way of management."

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